36 hours
by Angelo'sG-Ma
Summary: Bobby and Alex have been partners for a long time, but how will 2 nights changer their relationship? B/A
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the show but the plot is mine

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The room was dark when Alex awoke, so she knew it wasn't morning yet. Her bedroom window faces east, so her room is filled with light very early in the morning. Alex laid there for a few minutes listening to the quiet to see if she could hear what had woken her up. The she heard it, a creaking sound coming from the area near the doorway.

Ever since she was kidnapped, she has started sleeping with her gun under her pillow. Slowly she slipped her hand in to get it. The creak sounded again and the gun was in her hand and she was on her feet in an instant, aiming in the direction of the sound.

"Bobby!!" Alex exclaimed "How many times are you trying to get shot be me?"

There, her partner of, more than 8 years sat, in the chair by the door. He looked really bad. He had been looking rough ever since his Mother died, but now with everything that happen with Declan, Frank, and Brady…

"Sorry I…" His hand went up behind his neck as he searched for words, but he gave up and just looked at her with an almost pleading expression.

Alex put the gun in the nightstand and rounded the bed to squat down by him. "Oh Bobby, what's wrong? Why are you here? She didn't bother to ask how he had gotten in. They had given each other keys to their homes for emergency purposes.

"I don't know. I was out driving around. I just felt lost and alone. I don't even know who I am anymore. So alone."

"When was the last time you slept?" She asked.

"Didn't you hear? Sleep is overrated." Bobby replied. Boy he is in bad shape, he thought. He was never very good at jokes but even he knew that was bad.

"Come on" Alex led him over the bed and helped him get comfortable. She left the room and went to make sure he had relocked the door after he came in. It wasn't that she didn't trust him to have done it, but a woman living alone in New York ( cop or not) couldn't be too careful. And she should know , thanks to Joe Gage.

When Alex walked back to the bedroom, she stood in the doorway looking at her partner and best friend. What she should do is go back to the living room and sleep on the couch, but he had looked so sad. Instead she went around the bed and climbed in. Bobby was on his back, so she put her head on his shoulder and her arm around his chest to hold him.

"Alex? Are.."

"Shh.. Sleep"


	2. Chapter 2

It was the best sleep either of them had gotten in years. When Alex woke, she was alone but she heard the shower so he hadn't left, just got up before her. Laying there she wished that she dared join him, but that, well, best not to shock him that much. Besides, what if he was horrified at the thought. He might want a different partner, and then what would she do?

When Bobby came out of the shower, she wasn't in bed. He followed the scent of coffee and found her in the kitchen fixing breakfast. It was a homey scene that he never thought he would be a part of. All he wanted was right before him. He wanted to walk up to her at the stove, wrap his arms around her from behind and nuzzle her neck. But He didn't dare. His world had suddenly and without any warning righted itself in a way it never had been when Alex joined him in the bed last night. He had assumed that she would sleep on the couch after tenderly tucking him into her bed. Bobby was sure though that she just felt sorry for him and wanted to offer him comfort like she would one of her nieces or nephews after a bad dream.

If he tried to read too much into it, it might push them farther apart then they had ever been. She just might request another partner again and then what would he do? Bobby cleared his throat as he stepped the rest of the way into the kitchen.

"Morning"

"Morning, coffee's ready, and this" she said indicating the pan of eggs "will be ready in just a minute."

Alex watched him get his coffee and thought he looked much better after the sleep. She got so caught up in watching him that the eggs started to burn. Turning the stove off quickly, she dished up the breakfast and put the plates on the table. While they were eating, Alex told Bobby that the captain wanted him to take a few days off or more if he needed it. "You can hang here if you want and I'll cut out early from shift so we can do something."

"Thanks Emes, but I should go to Franks place and start figuring out what to do with all of his stuff."

"In that case, I'll call the captain, take the day off and help you" Alex stated"

"Thanks, but I'll be fine" he answered her, "you don't have to worry about me."

She reached across the table and took his hand. "Bobby, you're not alone and I am not going to let you go though this alone, besides it's my right to worry about you. I…" Alex stopped in mid-sentence realizing she was about to toss her feelings out there and that was probably best left unsaid. For now

"You what?" Bobby asked hopefully.

"What? Oh, I am your partner and best friend so it's my job to worry about you"

He thought for sure that she was about to say something else but he decided to let it go. For now.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I still don't own the charactors

a/n: Sorry about the mis-spelling of Eames is the previous chapter

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They spent hours sorting through Franks filthy run down apartment. Afterwards Bobby dropped Alex off at home and went back to his place. After showering he looked in the refrigerator and found nothing edible. He stood there for a couple of minutes debating with himself and then shut the fridge door, grabbed his keys and the overnight bag he kept packed, so that he could leave quickly if a case called for them to go out of town unexpectedly, and left.

Alex had decided that she wanted a long hot bath instead of a shower. After lighting a few candles and putting on soft music she slid into the steaming bath and relaxed. Sometimes this was the best way to think. Certainly she had done some of her best daydreaming this way. Most often it was a different variation of the same theme. Bobby, it always came back to Bobby.

After last night and this morning, she decided that she would have to make up her mind once and for all. If she rolled the dice and lost, she might eventually get over it but their friendship would likely be over and Bobby would truly be alone and she was afraid of what that might do to him. When the water started to cool she climbed out of the tub and changed into an old academy t-shirt and sweat pants. Feeling hungry, Alex headed to the kitchen thinking she would fix some dinner and think some more about her dilemma. She stopped short though because there Bobby was in the living room unpacking her favorite take out and he had started a fire in the fireplace.

"Hi, I thought you might be hungry and there was nothing edible at my place…" Way to go there Bobby, he thought, that sounds pretty lame, considering you've let yourself into her place two nights in a row now.

"Sounds good, I was just heading to find something to eat and that looks better that anything I have in the kitchen." Now all she could do was see how things played out and wonder why he started the fire if he was only interested in company and food.

They ate sitting on the floor leaning against the couch talking while enjoying the fire. They talked about everything from work to family (mostly hers) to sports, to politics. What they didn't talk about is what was next for them.

When it started getting late Alex started to yawn. Neither of them could find the courage to suggest that Bobby stay, so he said goodnight. He left unhappy with himself for not having the guts to reach out for what he wanted most.

After she shut the door behind him, Alex leaned her forehead on the door, not knowing that he was doing the same on the outside.

"Oh Bobby" Alex whispered.

"Alex" Bobby whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

Still don't own them, but enjoying using them

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As she was getting ready for bed, Alex wondered if there was something she missed, some sign or signal that Bobby had wanted more than just food and company. She half laughed at herself as she thought about the times when Bobby had been telling her a story tonight, and she got lost in his eyes and wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss him. But then he would have stopped talking and she loved to listen to him. Alex really hoped though that she wouldn't be called on to remember most of what he said.

Sliding into bed, she slipped her gun back under her pillow. As she lay there, Alex realized 2 things: 1) after only one night, she missed having Bobby in the bed with her. 2) For the first time in two years she had felt safe at night with Bobby on her pillow instead of her gun under it.

While Bobby was driving home, he replayed the evening in his head. When she had first come out of her bedroom and found him there, her eyes had lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, though he doubted she realized it. All evening long he found himself digging deep in his memory for more stories to tell her. When he did her eyes glowed and her smile, well, what man wouldn't die to have a woman smile at him like that.

Bobby had turned around just before he got home and now he stood in her bedroom doorway watching her sleep. Her back was to him like it was the night before. Instead of sitting on the chair this time though, he stripped down to his t-shirt and boxers and gently slipped into the bed.

Alex felt the bed dip and someone get in it. She inhaled deeply and smiled in the dark. Thank You GOD, she thought, he came back. She knew in that instant it was Bobby. That scent was so uniquely him. She didn't feel him move and could tell he was still on the far side of her queen size bed, but she felt his fingers gently moving in her hair. How often had she wanted to do the same to his, especially when it would get a little long and start to curl at the nape of the neck.

Bobby heard the drawer of her night stand open and close again. He thought she was probably putting her gun away like she did last night. He hadn't realized before that she slept with it, but he wasn't surprised. Alex is a cop who was kidnapped from her own home. He realized now though that by putting it away, she trusted him to keep her safe. His chest swelled with that thought and knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was right. He would die to protect her.

Alex rolled over and cuddled up to him like she had last night. Except tonight Bobby's arms came around her in an instant and she could feel his head lean on the top of hers. He held her like a precious treasure.

"Bobby" Alex started to say but he just said "shh…sleep"


	5. Chapter 5

Still don't own anything except my own imagination

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When she awoke Alex was still wrapped around Bobby with his arms still securely holding her. She lay there and listened to his breathing. It was slow and even so she thought he was still asleep. When she tried to sit up Bobby's arms tightened.

"It's ok, I'm not going anywhere" Alex whispered. His arms loosened and she was able to lean up on her elbow. Looking down at his face, she smiled. She could get used to waking this way. Bobby breathed deeply and his eyes popped open.

"Wow" he breathed looking strait up into Alex's eyes.

"Good morning to you too" she replied. "So you came back."

"Yeah, was I wrong to?" Bobby asked.

"No, you are always welcome anytime" Alex paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "Bobby, why did you light a fire last night?"

"I don't know it seemed like a good idea at the time" He was starting to feel defensive and scared that maybe he had gone to far. It was time he got up and out of the bed before this got any worse. Lying on his back with Alex leaning above him put him at a definite disadvantage if she was going to be mad at him. But as he started to rise she put a hand on his chest and pushed him back down.

"Just relax, I didn't say anything about you having permission to get up." Alex could see the panic starting to show in Bobby's eyes but it was time they talked. "I have something I want to talk about, but I wanted to know if we were on the same page about the last 30 some hours."

"Look Eames" Bobby said pleadingly. "I understand and I am sorry. It won't happen again, just please don't ask for another partner. I can handle anything else but not that.

"What exactly are you apologizing to? The fire in the fireplace? Feeling lost and alone two nights ago? Or is it coming into my bed last night uninvited.

Before he could answer she put a finger to his lips to keep him quiet. Alex decided that it was time to roll the dice. "Lets be clear on a few things, first of all I enjoyed sitting in front of the fire with you, I found it to be very romantic and I only asked so I might find out if romance was you motive, detective. Secondly, don't ever be sorry for the way you felt the other night. A lot has happened to you and anyone would have trouble coping. I'm glad you came to me. Next I was hoping you would stay in the first place, I just didn't have the courage to ask in case I was wrong about the above mentioned motive. Now then, you said it wouldn't happen again and I really hope that you didn't mean that or that I can at least change your mind. What next?" she paused for a moment. "Oh yeah, about requesting another partner, that would be like cutting out my own heart." Alex looked deep into Bobby's gorgeous eyes and saw hope blooming there as he realized what she was saying.

"Bobby… I…Love…You"

"Can I talk now please?" he asked around her finger. Alex lifted her finger and he grabbed her hand kissing said finger before he continued. "First Alex let me say Thank God. Now then, I have loved you for 8 years. You are my rock, the most beautiful rock. I never dreamed that you loved me too." Bobby pulled her down to him and kissed her tenderly. The kiss soon changed to hungry and their hands couldn't stop caressing each other.

Alex woke again a couple of hours later, having dozed off after making love with Bobby. The bed was empty but she heard the shower. She grinned and this time didn't hesitate to join him for some water games.

Later Alex started breakfast while Bobby shaved. When he walked into the kitchen he remembered what he had wanted to do the morning before and this time he did. Walking up to her at the stove he wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled her neck.

"Mm, you smell good"

"Thank you kind sir, so do you" she replied turning in his arms to kiss him.

Bobby reached behind her and turned off the stove. "Alex, you are my life, and I love you with all of my heart and soul. I know it is kind of fast, but will you marry me and make my life complete?"

"Fast? If 8 years is fast, slow would kill me. Bobby, we have already been through the better and worse, the sickness and health, and hey we're cops so we know it will be poorer rather than rich. YES, YES, YES, I will marry you and both of our lives will be complete."

The End

a/n: My mind is running with more here but hey, 36 hours are up in their lives. Watch for follow up story


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